Do I have pudendal neuralgia?

[suffering]

Hi everyone,

I am a male in mid 30's. I have read quite a lot of posts on this forum for over 8 months now, since my symptoms started. I hope some people here can help me with my questions.

My problems started over a year ago, and at first the pain was totally bearable. It was annoying, but didn't impact my everyday life too much. It all started when I lifted my hip as I was lying on the floor. My leg was stretched out and so was my foot.. I moved quickly and suddenly as I lifted my whole pelvis and pushed down on my right groin, and in that instant my whole life changed (though I didn't know it at the time). I felt a deep pain deep down in my groin somewhere (on the right side). When I tried to run the next day, it was too painful, every time my right foot hit the ground the pain was too much to bear.

In those next 4 months, it got worse and worse. Since 8 months, I haven't been able to work. I haven't been able to walk, and sitting hurts really much, especially after 10-15 mins. I have had to give up everything because of the pain, and rely on my parents to do everything for me.

In that time I have seen countless doctors, been to the hospital, been to specialists etc. They always do the same tests, and tell me everything is fine. Some of them tell me it's all in my head, that there is no evidence of anything wrong and therefore I should see a psychiatrist... if they had any idea of the pain I was in they wouldn't be saying that. If it had started for no reason, out of the blue, I would understand why they would think this a bit more. But it all started at a specific time, on a specific day, where I did something that caused extreme, immediate pain.

My right groin is very sensitive, pressing on it will shoot pain down into my feet. But what really worries me is that my symptoms do not totally match pudendal neuralgia, as I don't have any genital pain or numbness. My groin (right along the right side of my penis) hurts so much that sex/masturbation is too painful to do, but in terms of actual genital numbness or pain, I don' fit the profile.

I can sleep on my stomach, and on my left side, and sometimes on my back. But lying on my right side hurts too much, and the pain is unbearable. Standing/walking is doable for maybe 10 minutes. Sometimes the pain really starts after I finish walking rather than during. Sitting is the worst, right now after typing for 15 minutes I am shifting my foot from the pain. It's a tingling / pins and needles type pain, sort of like my foot/leg is burning. It's the worst in my foot, and if I keep sitting it goes up my leg into my calf. The foot pain is the worst pain, and the reason I can't even use my computer anymore.

Mornings are ok, and the pain seems to increase as the day goes on, so it's worst at night. I would say 80% is in on my right side. Ie right foot hurts, right groin hurts. Sometimes the left hurts, but nothing compared to the right one.

Sorry to have written too much, but nearly all of my symptoms are like those described here... apart from no genital pain/numbness.. rather right next to it in my groin. I have heard 20 doctors tell me "impossible, there is no nerve from the groin to your feet/legs".. but I know I am in constant pain, that my groin hurts, I can't walk for more than 100 meters without pain, I can't sit for more than 10 mins without it becoming unbearable.

Not even my own family and friends believe me anymore, or think I am exaggerating. According to them, doctors are trained professionals, so if the tests come back as OK, then everything is OK. But I have lost nearly everything though this. Tens of thousands of dollars, my livelihood, my independence, my happiness... suicide is a daily thought because I just have gotten nowhere at all and have been lying down on my sofa/bed for the past 8 months as I watch my life slip by, oxycontin being the only thing that works to relieve me of the pain, even if only for a short while.

Any answers are very much appreciated, thank you for reading my long winded writings!

[helenlegs 11]

I am wondering about inguinal hernia. Although that wouldn't cause foot or leg pain I don't think? ? I don't know too much about it unfortunately. Have you researched this at all?
This gives an idea of different nerve entrapments other than pudendal http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1234809-overview
If it is the back of your leg it sounds very much like sciatica. I have this, but from a spasmed piriformis muscle (my sciatic nerve passes through instead of under) I also get horrendous groin pain but only if I do too much as the piriformis muscles tighten even more and drag hip and groin into the equation. However I would always start with buttock (piriformis) pain too which you have not mentioned.
Hopefully others will chip in with something more applicable to your symptoms.
.

[carolynm]

Glad you joined in on the fun after reading the forum for so long!

Have you been to a neurologist yet? I was thinking they may be able to match the nerve distrubution with your symptoms. It does not sound like PN to me. Some other nerve must be reeking havoc.

I, too have had to rely on my aging parents to help. They live in Denver where there I have received knowledgable PT, dr. and nerve blocks. They have taken care of both me and my children when we have had to make the trek there without my husband. It's a hopeless feeling to have pain and have no answers. I'm sure you have googled the heck out if already so I won't even try.

Good luck on your journey to find some answers. You deserve them. None of us will think you are crazy.

cari

[Violet M]

Hello Suffering,

The pelvic floor is all interconnected and when one area has a problem it often affects other areas because muscles and ligaments start compensating for each other. Not sure where you live but maybe you could find a good physical therapist who could help you sort this out -- someone who specializes in pelvic pain. You could check out the Hesch method -- he seems to deal with mechanical injuries a lot. http://heschmanualtherapy.com/default.aspx

Can you rig up a set-up that allows you to use your computer lying down? That's what kept me going for the 2 years I was mostly in bed.

Violet M